I've started into the final trim and polish on 9 set - this feels good. I have ALL the finalized changes yet to key into 7 set and 8 set. This feels overwhelming. One step at a time - this is past the halfway point on the last pass, after all.

Keep going Janny, you're nearly there, and all of your loyal fans thank you for your commitment and vision. Just had my sixth release date revision from Amazon.co.uk since I originally placed my order 15 months ago

There's a very good reason why this series has not sprawled - grin. Great Care, spent on each volume. Given the length of the draft, it is best by far that I pare it down, rather then leave that to the powers that be.

Yelling more is better won't change the equation. The book has to fit into the niche that its (current) following has maintained at the hour of publication. Stormed Fortress got 'double cut' also, by me. The arc start, with ties into backstory and setting each bit for the front story is more delicate.

The NICE bit - you can see right here, the progress is steady, constant, and workmanlike. I am at the desk, every single day.

And nine set moves forward. 8 pages in, two lines have to be pulled back and reworked, and inserted into a paragraph on page 4 that was severely cut. Much more efficient, the meaning will be crystal clear, and maybe, I can slash a bit out in other sections because of the word wrestle here. Yup, it woulda played as I'd had it, but - at risk of dragging the action.

I am working Ten Set - which is a relief, because 9 set was a bear...grin...it had to be tinkered to perfection because it is MAJOR staging for something else. If I'm mad at anything, it's this book's turtle-ish fussiness. HOWEVER. It reads like glass in the aftershock of all the red pencil work.

The draft was just too many pages - tightly plotted, but too long for reason. So I am cutting it down best I can. I don't know what the page count is, probably should check and see...

I'm entering the home stretch, at any rate. Only 4 sets to go after this one.

And I will not be wheedled into giving you a pub date estimate until the finish is turned in/in production and locked down with the editors. That way it won't be an 'estimate' it will be a final date.

If you are crying for Light and Shadows activity, do feel free to join the ongoing discussions at GoodReads. The Fantasy Book Club Series is up to Peril's Gate for this month; and Beyond Reality, doing the in-depth of three chapters per week, will be starting the second three sets of Fugitive Prince today.

Thanks, too, for waking this place up It's been very quiet, indeed, more so than I'd expected with the new audios of Cycle of Fire out.